Welcoming New Canadians with the Whitecaps on Canada Day

News release

Across Canada 1,950 new Canadians will be welcomed July 1

June 29, 2018 – Vancouver, BC – New Citizenship Judge Carol-Ann Hart will preside over a special citizenship ceremony on Canada Day with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, where 60 people will become Canada’s newest citizens.

Across Canada, 1,950 people will become Canadians at 46 special Canada Day citizenship ceremonies on July 1.

The Canada Day ceremony, which will take place at 2:30 p.m., in advance of the game against the Colorado Rapids, will also be a special ceremony for Judge Hart, marking her first citizenship ceremony as a newly appointed citizenship judge. Highlights from the ceremony will be shown during the game.

Carol-Ann Hart is an experienced barrister and solicitor, arbitrator, mediator and investigator. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Université Laval and a Bachelor of Laws from McGill University. Judge Hart is a practicing member of the Law Society of British Columbia, a chartered arbitrator and is certified in conflict resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. For the past 12 years, she served as an adjudicator in the Independent Assessment Process for the Indian residential schools.

As a citizenship judge, Ms. Hart is responsible for making decisions on some citizenship applications, presiding over citizenship ceremonies and administering the Oath of Citizenship to new citizens. She will also play an important role in promoting Canadian citizenship and civic values in communities across British Columbia.

Citizenship judges are Governor in Council appointments. New appointees are chosen from a list of qualified candidates who have gone through an open, transparent and merit-based selection process.

Quotes

I am extremely honoured and grateful to have been appointed as a Citizenship Judge. After more than a decade as an Adjudicator of the Indian Residential Schools claims, I now have the opportunity to conduct further meaningful work welcoming new Canadian citizens, many of whom have also faced much adversity and loss in their lives. It will be one of the greatest privileges of my life to conduct a Citizenship ceremony on Canada Day.

On the occasion of Canada Day, I am grateful and proud to have the opportunity to celebrate with our new Canadian citizens our diversity and our rights and freedoms that we are so fortunate to enjoy.”

– Citizenship Judge Carol-Ann Hart

“It will be a great honour to recite the Oath of Citizenship on July 1st with Canada’s newest citizens. I, too, am an immigrant who came to Canada with a hope to build a bright future. Canada’s birthday is a day for all of us, whether we were born Canadian, became Canadian, or hope to become Canadian. Today we reflect on our great country, we honour its diversity and the opportunities it provides for us here who call it home. Happy Canada Day everyone!

“I am pleased to welcome Carol-Ann Hart as a citizenship judge for British Columbia. She brings an impressive set of skills and experience. Congratulations to Judge Hart.”

– Dr. Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.

Quick facts

  • Over the last 10 years, Canada has welcomed nearly 1.7 million new Canadians.

  • Citizenship ceremonies are the end of a long process of immigration, settlement and integration for a newcomer to Canada. Ceremonies are a moving and emotional celebration. Taking the Oath of Citizenship is also a necessary legal step to citizenship.

  • Canada’s identity has been largely shaped by the significant cultural and economic contributions of immigrants. In Canada, diversity is our strength.

  • There are now 14 citizenship judges across the country, located in Halifax, Montreal, the Greater Toronto Area, Winnipeg, Edmonton, as well as Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia.

Associated links

Contacts

Contacts for media only

Minister’s Office
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-952-1650
IRCC.COMMMediaRelations-RelationsmediasCOMM.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

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